Life-saving apparatus



V. HOLMGREN.

LIFE SAVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 8.1920.

1,365,244. Patented Jan 11,1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET i- ATTORNEY v. H OLM GREN. LIFE SAVING APPARATUS. APPLICKTION HLED MAIL-8,1020.

1,365,244. Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- l iafor- //o/m 9/120 WITNESSES INVENTOR A TTURA'E Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR HOLMGREN, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

LIFE-SAVING- APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Vroron HoLMoRnN, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at Portland, in the countyof Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Life-Saving Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in life saving apparatus for aquatic use, in which a manually operated propeller is attached to the underside of a cork float:

The objects of my invention are:

First, to furnish a non-sinkable apparatus which not only will sustain the body of a person in water, but also will have some posi-, tive means of propulsion wherewith contrary currents of wind and wave maybe overcome.

Second, to furnish, a device which is equally well adapted to form part of the life saving equipment of a sea-going vessel, or part of the amusement devices employed at a beach resort.

Third, to give my apparatus such construction that the head of the swimmer is kept well above the surface of the water.

I attain thesse objects with the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a paratus.

Fig. II is a bottom view of the same.

Fig. III is a side elevation of the propelling mechanism alone.

Fig. IV is a section through Fig. II along the line aa.

Fig. V is a detailed bottom view of the link-holding clevis.

Fig. VI is the gear-holding clamp in detail.

Fig. VII shows the application of my apparatus.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A fiat cork sheet 1, somewhat pointed at the bow, is incased in canvas for the better protection of the cork: To the upper side of the incased cork sheet are sewed the shoulder straps 2; and to the latter again are sewed the canvas strips 8 which can be tied behind the back of the swimmer so as to prevent the shoulder straps from slipping off. Cork wings 4, also incased in canvas, are attached to the sides of the cork sheet. These wings assume in the water the vertical position indicated by the dotted lines 5 in Fig. IV, thus giving the arm of the swimmer freedom to operate plan view of the entire ap- Specification of Letters Patent. Patent d J 11 1921 Application filed March 8, 1920.

Serial No. 364,110.

the propelling mechanism, and at the same time assisting in balancing the craft.

Attached in a suitable manner to the underside of the cork sheet is the wooden frame 6, whose function is to furnish a solid base for my propelling mechanism. The latter consists of an angular metal bar 7 (Figs. II and III), bolted to the wooden frame and in which are pivoted the front and rear braces 8 and 9 respectively. The front braces converge downwardly toward the centerline and hold pivotally attached the tube 10 which furnishes the forward bearing for the propeller shaft 11. The rear braces also converge and have pivotally attached to them the rear bearing 12 for said propeller shaft. Itigidly afiixed to the latter is the pinion 13, and this is in mesh with the crown gear 14, so that turning of the crank 15 will rotate the propeller 16 at the rear end of the propeller shaft. The crown gear 141 is attached to the tube 10 by means of the clamp 17 shown in Fig. V I. This enables an oblique setting of said gear, most convenient to the operator. Rigidity to the mechanism in longitudinal direction is provided by the link 18, whose one end is pivoted in the tube 10, while the other end can be attached to the clevis 19 at the front end of the wooden frame 6. For details of the clevis reference should be had to Fig. V, where it appears that the link-holding pin 20 is provided with a spring 21, which makes involuntary disengagement impossible. To receive or to release the link, the pin is withdrawn by the knurled knob 22 to the position 23 indicated in dotted lines.

The braces 8 and 9 are made of different length, whereby the propeller shaft is maintained at an angle to the cork sheet and whereby the thrust exerted by the propeller will have a tendency not only to propel the craft, but also to keep the head of the swimmer well above water.

For storing purposes, the link 18 is withdrawn from the clevis 19 and, since the braces 8 and 9 are pivoted at the top and bottom, the whole propelling mechanism can be folded against the cork sheet, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. III. The discrepancy in the radial distances of the braces 8 and 9 is overcome by having a slot 23 in the metal bar 7 and permitting the pivots for the braces 8 to slide rearward as the apparatus folds up.

To give the swimmer a more comfortable resting place, the cork sheet is slightly trough shaped at the longitudinal centerline as appears most conspicuously in Fig. IV.

iaving thus described my invention it will be seen that my objects have been accomplished and, though I have shown the preferred form of construction, I reserve to myself the right to make minor changes, proriding I do not violate the spirit and principle of my invention. Especially do I wish to emphasize that aluminum for the propelling mechanism and cork for the float are the most desirable materials to use, but any other suitable substitute should be considered within the purview of my invention.

1 claim 1. In a life saving apparatus, the combination of a flat float, pointed at the bow and extending forward far enough to furnish a resting place for one hand, with a singlecrank propelling mechanism for-the other hand, said propelling mechanism being adjustable for either right or left hand operation.

2. ln a. life saving apparatus, the combination of a fiat parabolic frame, a sheet of cork on top of the frame, with a manually operated propelling mechanism underneath the frame, comprising a propeller shaft with a pinion, a crown gear meshing with the pinion and mounted for different adjustments around the propeller shaft, a single crank attached to the crown gear, and connecting means between the frame and propelling mechanism.

ing the propeller mechanism in operative position, said link on being detached permitting the propelling mechanism to slide rearwardly and to fold against the underside of the float.

4L. In a life saving apparatus, the combination of a fiat, horizontal frame, two angle iron bars bolted on each side to the underside of the frame and parallel with the center line of the latter, a pair of long braces pivoted to the rear end of the bars, said long braces converging downwardly and meeting at the central plane of the frame, a pair of short braces pivoted in slots at the front end of the bars, said short braces also converging downwardly and meeting at the central plane of the frame, a propelling mechanism held by the converg ing ends of the braces and capable of folding rearwardly against the frame by turning the'braces in their pivots and sliding the pivoted ends of the short braces in the slots of the angle iron bars.

Signed by me at Portland, Oregon, this 28th day of February, 1920.

VICTOR HOLMGREN. 

